Comments from Al Alvarez

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cine Lido on Apr 19, 2011 at 10:43 am

There is a shot of the Cine Lido in the book NEW YORK THEN AND NOW but it is from so far away that even the marquee title is illegible.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Embassy 49th Street Theatre on Apr 18, 2011 at 9:57 pm

Roger, I have no idea if they were ‘hetero’ or even women at all. That would not have bothered me in the least.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Embassy 49th Street Theatre on Apr 18, 2011 at 8:11 pm

What did out-of-towners think?

As a 17 year old tourist on my first trip to NY in 1974 I walked from the Port Authority down 8th Avenue to my room at the Edison Hotel on 47th street through a sea of pretty young blonde wigged hookers grabbing my suitcase and asking me if I wanted a date.

I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ellwest Stereo Theater on Apr 16, 2011 at 7:11 pm

Tokens for sale:

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Lincoln Plaza Cinemas on Apr 16, 2011 at 6:41 pm

It’s difficult to make this underground venue look glorious but this photographer has done his best.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Liberty Theatre on Apr 16, 2011 at 2:05 pm

Great thread here on Times Square theatres:

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Embassy 49th Street Theatre on Apr 16, 2011 at 1:28 pm

There is an interesting collection of ads here:

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Embassy 49th Street Theatre on Apr 16, 2011 at 8:31 am

Sorry, rvb. They are not meant to be photos of the World on this page.

What Ed and I are trying to get information is on the World theatre with an entrance around the corner from the Circus theatre photos above. That location is not yet listed on CT.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Embassy 49th Street Theatre on Apr 16, 2011 at 12:20 am

You can clearly see the three floors in this shot.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Embassy 49th Street Theatre on Apr 16, 2011 at 12:18 am

LOL. tip ‘toe’.

To make matters even murkier, Ed, I believe the Big Top briefly operated as the WORLD as well.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Embassy 49th Street Theatre on Apr 15, 2011 at 11:05 pm

The brick front of the World looks just like the pub, so I think it is still there. When the Circus was closed both it and Pink were described as ‘theatres’ by the authorities.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Star Twin on Apr 15, 2011 at 9:49 pm

The Woolco Shopping Center:

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Embassy 49th Street Theatre on Apr 15, 2011 at 5:38 pm

Ed, if it helps, I believe is was the same location operating as PINK at 204 West 49th Street. It shared a building with the CIRCUS and may now be a Playwright Celtic Pub.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about New Victory Theater on Apr 13, 2011 at 9:18 pm

Ed, I never went to either one but I remember that the first one caused quite a stir as the first VHS theatre. The 35mm locations were concerned about the trend and the projectionist union was charging them standard 35mm rates basically for operating a VHS player.

The second location is murkier and less is written about it as it was not a trend setter, but some Village Voice ads show as many as twelve titles showing at one time.

By all means go ahead and enter them on CT. I am not quite sure of their lifespans.

I do have several books about the Deuce that walk a fine line between social archeology and smut.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about New Victory Theater on Apr 13, 2011 at 5:25 pm

I have a book that references four screens which showed films but were later used for other purposes such as live shows and sex back-rooms.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about New Victory Theater on Apr 13, 2011 at 3:23 pm

Ed, since the Roxy was advertising four screens in the early nineties I am starting to wonder if both were open concurrently.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Winter Garden Theatre on Apr 12, 2011 at 11:25 pm

“GRAND SLAM” was a one week run.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Winter Garden Theatre on Apr 12, 2011 at 1:46 pm

Here they are, Ed. Please note that opening dates are not exact as I compiled the info by week.

9/23/1928 THE SINGING FOOL
3/17/1929 NOAH’S ARK
6/2/1929 ON WITH THE SHOW
9/1/1929 GOLD DIGGERS OF BROADWAY
11/24/1929 SHOW OF SHOWS
12/29/1929 SALLY
2/16/1930 THE GREEN GODDESS
4/13/1930 UNDER A TEXAS MOON
5/4/1930 SHOWGIRL IN HOLLYWOOD
5/25/1930 COURAGE
6/8/1930 NUMBERED MEN
7/13/1930 THE DAWN PATROL
9/14/1930 BIG BOY
9/28/1930 THE OFFICE WIFE
11/9/1930 LIFE OF THE PARTY
12/7/1930 MOTHER’S CRY
¼/1931 THE LASH
1/18/1931 ILLICIT
2/22/1931 SIT TIGHT
3/15/1931 MY PAST
3/29/1931 FIFTY MILLION FRENCHMEN
4/12/1931 THE MILLIONAIRE
5/17/1931 PARTY HUSBAND
5/31/1931 THE MALTESE FALCON
6/21/1931 SMART MONEY
8/9/1931 THE STAR WITNESS
9/13/1931 FIVE STAR FINAL
11/8/1931 THE RULING VOICE
11/29/1931 HER MAJESTY LOVE
12/27/1931 MANHATTAN PARADE
1/17/1932 UNION DEPOT
2/7/1932 THE HATCHET MAN
3/6/1932 ALIAS THE DOCTOR
3/27/1932 THE CROWD ROARS
4/24/1932 THE MOUTHPIECE
5/22/1932 TWO SECONDS
6/12/1932 THE DARK HORSE
7/3/1932 THE MYSTERY RANCH
7/10/1932 STRANGER IN TOWN
7/17/1932 RADIO PATROL
7/24/1932 CONGORILLA
8/14/1932 HOLLYWOOD SPEAKS
8/21/1932 THE CROONER
8/28/1932 A PASSPORT TO HELL
9/11/1932 BIG CITY BLUES
9/25/1932 TIGER SHARK
10/23/1932 THEY CALL IT SIN
11/6/1932 SCARLET DAWN
11/20/1932 YOU SAID A MOUTHFUL
12/11/1932 CENTRAL PARK
12/18/1932 AFRAID TO TALK
1/1/1933 LAUGHTER IN HELL
1/15/1933 HYPNOTIZED
1/22/1933 THE VAMPIRE BAT
1/29/1933 FRISCO JENNY
2/5/1933 FOLLOW THE LEADER
2/12/1933 THE KING’S VACATION
2/19/1933 ?
2/26/1933 GRAND SLAM
(Legit)

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Winter Garden Theatre on Apr 11, 2011 at 6:34 pm

From the bookings it looks like Universal used UA films as filler during this period of heavy product outflow.

10/7/1945 BLITHE SPIRIT United Artists
11/18/1945 JOHNNY IN THE CLOUDS United Artists
12/2/1945 THE MAN IN GREY Universal
12/16/1945 ADVENTURE FOR TWO Universal
12/30/1945 THE SEVENTH VEIL Universal
2/24/1946 TOMORROW IS FOREVER RKO
5/5/1946 SO GOES MY LOVE Universal
5/26/1946 MADONNA OF THE SEVEN MOONS Universal
6/9/1946 THE RUNAROUND Universal
6/23/1946 SHE WROTE THE BOOK Universal
6/30/1946 DEAD OF NIGHT Universal
7/28/1946 THEY WERE SISTERS Universal
9/1/1946 THE KILLERS Universal
11/17/1946 NOTORIOUS GENTLEMAN Universal
12/22/1946 THE WICKED LADY Universal
1/27/1947 SWELL GUY Universal
2/22/1947 I’LL BE YOURS Universal
3/15/1947 STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN (Popular prices) Universal
4/12/1947 BUCK PRIVATES COME HOME Universal
5/3/1947 CARNEGIE HALL (dated with Park Ave.) United Artists
6/21/1947 NEW ORLEANS United Artists
7/19/1947 SLAVE GIRL Universal
8/9/1947 GREEN FOR DANGER Eagle-Lion
8/30/1947 SOMETHING IN THE WIND Universal
9/20/1947 SINGAPORE Universal
10/11/1947 RIDE THE PINK HORSE Universal
11/8/1947 THE UPTURNED GLASS Universal
11/22/1947 THE LOST MOMENT Universal
12/6/1947 CAPTAIN BOYCOTT Universal
12/27/1947 THE EXILE Universal
1/18/1948 SECRET BEYOND THE DOOR… Universal
2/1/1948 A WOMAN’S VENGEANCE Universal
2/22/1948 JASSY Universal
3/7/1947 BLACK BART Universal
3/28/1948 MAN OF EVIL United Artists
4/18/1948 ARE YOU WITH IT? Universal
5/9/1948 DEAR MURDERER Universal
5/23/1948 RIVER LADY Universal
6/13/1948 BAD SISTER Universal
7/4/1948 MAN-EATER OF KUMAON Universal
8/1/1948 (No program)
8/8/1948 (No program)
9/5/1948 LARCENY Universal
10/3/1948 (Reconverted to legit)

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Deerfield Cinema 5 on Apr 9, 2011 at 10:12 pm

LOL.

Muslims from all over the world enjoy Bollywood movies. Although their religion forbids such frivolous entertainments, I also know many Christians and Jews who enjoy having sex, although that is also forbidden.

Deerfield Beach has a significant American-Muslim population.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Film Row in Memphis on Apr 8, 2011 at 7:56 pm

I don’t think platters even existed yet in 1969.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Deerfield Cinema 5 on Apr 8, 2011 at 10:29 am

This theatre appears to have shut down. Does anyone know when?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Carnegie Hall Cinema on Apr 8, 2011 at 12:21 am

I recently saw a 1979 film called “SOMETHING SHORT OF PARADISE” starring David Steinberg and Susan Sarandon that appears to have several lobby scenes filmed at this location before the Cineplex Odeon renovation.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's Victoria Theatre on Apr 3, 2011 at 10:09 am

Josephine Baker performed here in 1973.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Moral hits rockbottom at the Colonial Twin! on Apr 2, 2011 at 11:42 pm

I am glad you think this stuff is amusing. I can’t say I find your ‘follies’ about a financially struggling independent operator with incompetent employees a hoot. Especially as he is now out of business. What was your role in that?

If you were not the managers, who was managing this place? Aren’t you all a bit old to be hourly paid staff? And did you not play a role in making that manager lose his job?

I have never worked for an independent, but I did fire many employees who acted just like you did and hurt our industry. YOU killed this theatre.